United States AttorneyWestern District of Washington

Convicted Bank Robber, On The Run For Nearly 5 Years, Arrested In Oregon

A convicted bank robber who absconded from supervised release, was arrested in Hillsboro, Oregon, Monday June 2, 2014, after being on the run for nearly five years, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. BRADLEY STEVEN ROBINETT, 45, fled following a car chase on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in September 2009. The last time law enforcement saw ROBINETT was in November of 2009, when Washington State Patrol detectives encountered ROBINETT at a park & ride facility in Bellevue. At the time, ROBINETT was operating a stolen vehicle. ROBINETT attempted to ram a WSP vehicle before fleeing the area. The WSP trooper driving the vehicle managed to avoid the collision, but ROBINETT was able to escape.

ROBINETT is wanted in the Western District of Washington on an indictment for escape, being a felon in possession of a firearm and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. ROBINETT remains in custody in Oregon.

According to the indictment and other court filings, ROBINETT was convicted of bank robbery and in 2004 was sentenced to seven years in prison. In August 2009 he was released from a federal prison in Arizona and put on a bus to Seattle with the requirement that he was to report to a designated halfway house within 48 hours. ROBINETT never reported to the halfway house and a warrant was issued for him for escape. In September 2009, police on Bainbridge Island, Washington attempted to stop a car that led them on a high speed chase. ROBINETT fled from the car and got away. Inside the car officers found a Glock 9mm pistol and a ballistic vest. Both items were stolen from the Seattle Police Department several years earlier. The vehicle ROBINETT was driving was also reported stolen in Oregon.

ROBINETT was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm for the gun found in the car. In addition to his bank robbery conviction, he has prior felony convictions for possession of stolen property (King County and Clallam County), unlawful possession of a machine gun, car theft and burglary (King County).

In 2011, ROBINETT was featured on the programs Washington’s Most Wanted and America’s Most Wanted.

On Monday afternoon Hillsboro police were patrolling the Fred Meyer parking lot with an automated license plate reader. Plate readers match license plates to those of stolen cars that have been entered into the system’s database. The reader noted a Kia with plates stolen in Portland while the car was reported stolen in King County, Washington. The police officers waited for the driver to return to the vehicle. They arrested ROBINETT without incident.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) has led the search for ROBINETT’ along with the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bainbridge Island PD, and the Hillsboro, Oregon Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion.